Pioneers for human rights in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022. The most renowned peace price on earth goes to the detained Belarusian human rights lawyer Ales Bjaljazki, the Russian organization Memorial and the Ukrainian Center for Civil Liberties (CCL). This was announced by the Norwegian Nobel Committee in Oslo. This year's award winners represented civil society in their home countries, said Berit Reiss-Andersen, the chairwoman of the committee. For many years they have been committed to protecting the fundamental rights of citizens in their countries and the right to criticize power.
Bjaljazki is currently imprisoned in Belarus because of the accusation of tax fraud. Reiss-Andersen asked the authorities of the dictatorial state to leave Bjaljazki free. "We sincerely hope that this will happen and that he can come to Oslo to accept his honor," said the chairman of the Nobel Committee. With this year's Nobel Peace Prize, the committee wanted to honor three outstanding pioneer for human rights, democracy and peaceful coexistence in the three neighboring countries Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, "said Reiss-Andersen. Bjaljazki and the organizations Memorial and CCL jointly demonstrated "the importance of civil society for peace and democracy".
With their consistent efforts in favour of humanist values, anti-militarism and principles of law, this year’s #NobelPeacePrize laureates have revitalised and honoured Alfred Nobel’s vision of peace and fraternity between nations – a vision most needed in the world today.
In 1996, Bjaljazki founded the human rights organization Wjasna (German: Spring), which is committed to politically persecuted in Belarus. Because of his activism, he was persecuted himself, was in prison between 2011 and 2014 and was arrested again in July 2021. The Memorial Organization, founded in Moscow in 1989, devoted itself to the processing of Stalinism and the documentation of political persecution and human rights breaks in Russia. The noble committee named her as the "most informative source" about the situation of politically persecuted in the country. Russia's Supreme Court had the organization banned under violent international protest in December 2021.
Between 3 and 10 October, the Nobel Committees will announce the 2022 Nobel Laureates. On our topic page "Nobel Prizes – the highest award" you will find out who has received one of the prestigious prizes. There you can also read the essentials about the laureates and their research.
The Ukrainian Center for Civil Liberties was founded in 2007 in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. According to Nobel Committee, it is therefore deserved to strengthen Ukrainian civil society and democratize the country. After the beginning of the Russian war against the country, the center of the invasion of the invasion of the invasion of the invasion of the invasion and played a "pioneering role" played the guilty of accounting.
The Nobel Peace Prize is considered the most important peace prize on earth. A total of 343 candidates – 251 personalities and 92 organisations – were nominated this year. The names of the other nominees are traditionally kept secret for 50 years. Last year, the Filipino Maria Ressa and the Russian Dmitri Muratov were honored with the prize. The two journalists received it for their fight for freedom of expression.
